Bath Salts Draw Worldwide Attention

The 2013 World Drug Report reveals that the popularity of new psychoactive substances (NPS) such as synthetic marijuana has escalated across the globe, especially among teens and young adults. These types of drugs, sold as “spice,” “K2” or “bath salts,” can cause hallucinations, violent behavior and, in extreme cases, suicides. Originally sold legally in stores, legislators have put measures in place to ban the drugs. However, multiple reformulations outstrip lawmakers’ ability to control them all.
 
At the federal level, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently classified three formulations of synthetic marijuana as Schedule I drugs for a period of two years. The DEA will coordinate with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to decide if these three substances should be made illegal indefinitely.
 
In Ohio, Attorney General Mike DeWine knows that House Bill 334, which went into effect last year, will not be able to keep up with the changes chemists make to produce new compounds of NPS. He hopes to get ahead of the game by requesting that the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy make new formulations of synthetic marijuana illegal.